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The Best Things That Happened to Me in 2016 (+ 2017 Goals)

17 January, 2017

Pretty sure I'm one of the last few to be jotting down my 2016 journey in a nutshell but hey, it's just like they say - better late than never, right?

It's that time of the year again when we reflect on the year that once passed by us so quickly. Through my 4 years of blogging, 2016 was the year that offered me even more opportunities in the industry and greater insights to what lies ahead. They might not be the biggest of achievements, and some were just part and parcel of what made my journey a more meaningful experience, but I'm pretty sure I'd look back a year later and be thankful of the things that made it possible.

1. Creating content for my favourite brands

Getting the opportunity to work with more brands this year truly leaves me with lots of gratitude. From pampering my locks with Artistry Hair and keeping my skin radiant with Halley Medical Aesthetics, to ensuring I hit the beach in my best apparels with Iminxx and Loungext, I've been more than happy to have received beauty products, delicious goodies, and beautiful press kits from clients and the lovely PR companies worked with (shoutout to my favourite Saffron Comms! xx).

2. Finding my passion for filming/shoots

I've always been a little more self-conscious when it comes to being in front of the camera for video filming because of my insecurities (clearly your pimple gets more obvious in videos and you can't edit them away using beauty apps, haha) and uneasiness speaking to a camera, but I've slowly been accepting and embracing these factors while trying to get more comfortable with more experience. :) I gotta say though, the most challenging situation I had to deal with was crying for a scene during a movie casting. Until now, I'm still learning!

3. Learning how to use Adobe

Clearly, it might sound confusing how this could even be some sort of achievement, but trust me, when Adobe say they "change the world through digital experiences", they ain't lying. I've played around with Premiere Pro, tinkered with Lightroom presets, and really loved how it could enhance my creative work! There are many ways you can explore Photoshop too, and I just can't thank you enough, Adobe :') Special thanks to my trusty photographer friend Jia Gen (@jaegenn) for teaching me simple tricks of using Adobe. His photos are amazing and he's truly someone with dreams and living the life he aspires to be in.

4. Getting my first magazine feature

I probably didn't fit into the teenage category, but I decided to try out anyway. Turned out to be one of my biggest achievements in 2016, curating content and visuals for beauty and lifestyle brands, finally getting up and about to film videos, and getting to spot myself featured in a magazine! My proudest moment was curating The Ultimate Guide to Tiong Bahru 1.0 because it really allowed me to capture the essence of old neighbourhoods, gold moments that spoke of the olden days and fresh sights in Tiong Bahru (e.g. cafe hopping) loved by hipsters. It also took three days of shooting for that to happen, haha!5. Greater freelance job opportunities

Not many know, but besides my blogging and social media assignments, I've also been juggling a few other tasks on my hand, mainly social media management for a startup, doing simple talent management for events and occasionally, selling lifestyle homeware on an online platform, all on a freelance basis. I'm still exploring my options, and I know that even 10 years down the road, I wouldn't regret taking this path because I believe I'm actually brave enough to chase my passion and give it a try even when the world constantly tries to shut you out from your goals.However, with the closure of 2016 comes with regrets — regrets of not seizing every opportunity that comes along, regrets of not being disciplined enough as the adult I should be, regrets of not making the fullest out of my potential. One of my worst habits is lazing around and putting off a task that can be done the next day. Overthinking kills too, along with ideas not put into action. And sometimes, it gets a little disappointing.Moving forward this 2017, all I want is (for my loved ones to be healthy and) for myself to change and improve on these habits and work towards my goals. It's never the easiest to walk the route less taken, but never have I had a single bit of regret choosing to be where I am today. If there's something you can't go a day without thinking about, then don't give it up. Find something to fight for and never stop. And I hope that this inspires you to work towards something that you truly desire in this life.Cheers to a greater year ahead, 2017! xx